Chapter Thirty Three
Dorea Potter watched James and Sirius whizzing through the garden, weaving between trees and constantly shouting to each other as they threw an old Quaffle between them; suddenly Sirius was hit on the head by one of the many apples that they had bewitched to follow them around and she watched as he rolled over his broom to avoid it hitting him again, still flying towards James as he hung underneath his broom. She shook her head at their antics and was about to turn away when an enormous owl tapped on the window; it sidled in sideways when Dorea let it in and proffered its leg. Two Hogwarts letters were attached, each addressed to one of the boys who were currently using her garden as a Quidditch pitch, and Dorea weighed up the likelihood of the boys coming in from their game to read them. She decided that they probably wouldn’t as she headed outside. “Boys!” she shouted, bringing them to a stop.
“Honestly Mum we didn’t touch any of your flowerbeds and if there was any damage it wasn’t us,” James said quickly, his words tumbling over themselves as Dorea rolled her eyes.
“That remains to be seen James Potter,” she replied as the two boys leaned forward anxiously, “but that wasn’t what I came to say. Your Hogwarts letters are here.”
“Oh that’s way better!” Sirius cried as they sped towards her, hands outstretched. Dorea held them up, fighting the urge to duck as they hurtled towards her, and each boy grabbed one then wheeled around. “Oh I’ve got yours Prongs.” He chucked it to James, ignoring Dorea’s half-hearted protest, and they swapped letters. Both boys sat on their brooms, hovering a few feet off the ground as they contemplated opening them.
“Nah,” James finally decided, “it’s just Hogwarts letters and they’re never interesting. We’ll open them after lunch. Thanks for bringing them out Mum,” he smiled as they handed them back to her and rocketed away.
After a typically rowdy lunch Dorea produced the letters again and they both grabbed one. James eyed his warily; he might be mistaken but he could swear that it was heavier than usual. “Is it just me or is this weirdly heavy?” he asked, handing his to Sirius, who held one in each hand and moved them up and down like a pair of scales.
“Yes,” he answered definitively. “Dumbledore’s probably had to include a list of your detention times too… I’m surprised he didn’t manage to fill a book.”
James laughed and said, “If I fill a book then you must fill a library Padfoot.” Sirius shrugged and winked before handing James’ letter back and opening his own. “Nothing interesting,” he muttered coolly as he skimmed the list of things that he would need for next year.
The envelope which held James’ letter had a sheaf of papers inside it and James flicked through the idly. “Letter from McGonagall,” he said as he chucked it onto the table, “list of school supplies…” This too found itself on the table. “A letter from Dumbledore and a new Quidditch Captain badge… Actually I don’t think I need a new one, I’m sure it’s still pinned to my scarf. Oh well, nothing interesting then.” The parchment fluttered onto the pile as James pushed his chair back, ready to go and play more Quidditch.
“Hang on I don’t have a letter from Dumbledore,” Sirius said as he grabbed the topmost piece of parchment. “What’s all this about?” he asked as he began to read it.
“I don’t know, probably just something about some detention I missed or congratulating me on finally attending more classes than detentions,” James said nonchalantly. Sirius’ mouth dropped open and he let out a strangled noise which could have been either a laugh or a wail of despair.
“He’s congratulating you alright,” he finally managed to splutter, “but it’s not because you’ve stopped getting detention.”
“What is it for then?” He sat back in his chair and reached for his letter, which Sirius handed over. “Mate you won’t believe this…”
He was right. James’ reaction was less restrained and far more colourful; Dorea’s frequent glares and orders to “stop using that foul language before I wash your mouth out with a Scourgify spell” had no effect. “I’m Head Boy!” he cried, utterly incredulous. “Dumbledore must be insane!” This final pronouncement came out combined with a strange strangled squeak and James slapped his hands over his head. “This is a joke right?” he asked Sirius. “You somehow managed to change what it says in the letter before I read it didn’t you?”
Sirius shook his head and picked up the badge which James had left on the kitchen table, holding it up to him and showing James the two unmistakeable letters on it: HB. “I wish I had mate, it would be a great joke. I’d understand that way better than I understand this.” Both boys sat there in silence, looking like they’d been hit repeatedly over the head by Bludgers as they let the astonishing news absorb into their brains.
Finally James managed to mutter, “I wish you’d come out to tell us off about your flowerbeds instead.”
“It’s wonderful James,” Dorea said. “It’s not a joke, Dumbledore might seem a bit batty but he always knows exactly what he’s doing; don’t be stupid.”
“I can’t be Head Boy Mum!” he protested. “You know how much trouble I’ve been in! I’m not even a Prefect for Circe’s sake!”
“But you are a Quidditch Captain which means you’ve already proved you’re capable of leading students,” she pointed out, “and it’s not the first time that they’ve appointed a Head of School who wasn’t a Prefect before. It’s a special circumstance but it’s not impossible. Besides James, you’re bright, confident, organised… There’s no reason for him not to pick you.”
“In fairness we have cleaned up our act a bit recently,” Sirius added awkwardly. “Well… I can’t say I don’t feel slightly betrayed that two of the Marauders, our leader as well, have joined the side of the rules but I am happy for you I guess.” He smiled at James, who rolled his eyes in reply. “Yeah thanks for that Sirius.”
“No problem mate. It’ll be an… interesting change to have a Marauder on the side of the teachers,” he snickered.
“What about Remus? He’s been a Prefect since fifth year,” James pointed out.
“Yeah but it’s Remus,” he replied. “Firstly he’s been a Prefect for years so I’m used to it and secondly he was always on the teachers’ side so it’s not like that was ever going to change. You, on the other hand… you used to be a true troublemaker but now,” Sirius sniffed as if he was about to break out into tears, “now you’re going to have to behave yourself.”
“And I hope you’ll behave yourself too Mr Black,” Dorea interrupted. “It’s your final year at Hogwarts and as much as I want you to enjoy it, it would be nice if there was some castle left for the people who have to go back once you lot leave.”
Sirius schooled his face into a mask of horror and shock and exclaimed, “Me, Mrs Potter? I would never- How can you make such accusations? I was going to leave the Quidditch pitch.”
She gave in to the urge to crack a smile and sighed. “Oh were you? Wonderful Sirius. If only other people would learn from you. In all seriousness – don’t even try that Sirius – you two have important exams this year and I’d rather not have to have you living with me for the rest of your lives because you messed around instead of working, failed them all and can’t get jobs.”
“Don’t you mean ‘the rest of my life’ not ‘the rest of your lives’?” James asked as Dorea eyed him sternly.
“No I don’t because if you fail your N.E.W.T.s I will personally see to it that you don’t live much longer past the owl which delivers your results.” James pulled a face at Sirius which Dorea saw but ignored and she headed out of the kitchen. “I’m so proud of you James,” she said as she left. “Oh and we’ll go to Diagon Alley in a couple of weeks to get your things. Sirius I suppose you’ll be coming with us?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world Mrs Potter,” he replied.
James picked up the letter and read it again, letting his mind process all of the information which it contained in it; it was slightly easier now that his initial shock had subsided but he still wasn’t sure that it had actually happened. “This is still addressed to me,” he noticed as he picked it up. “Are you sure this isn’t some kind of warped nightmare?”
“Absolutely Prongs,” Sirius replied. “Honestly, I’d probably prefer it if it was too.” James didn’t reply as he read the letter, rereading each line about three times to try and understand it. “I have to hold Prefects’ Meetings,” he scowled, “and see Dumbledore to ‘liaise between him and the students.’” A shiver of something akin to horror or disgust crawled down his spine and Sirius chuckled. “Bloody hell,” James breathed.
“What?”
“You never told me that Lily’s the Head Girl,” he said accusingly.
“Which Lily?” The pointed look he received in return answered his question for him. “There’s only one Lily in our year isn’t there?” James nodded. Silence stretched between them as Sirius struggled to understand this latest development. “Wait, Lily Evans is Head Girl?” he cried. James nodded again. “Eh I suppose that makes sense actually… Actually that makes a lot of sense…” Sirius shrugged languidly again. “Well I suppose it shows Dumbledore hasn’t gone completely mad. Hey relax Prongs, it could be worse. You could have Azalea Cassavan instead,” he said with a grimace.
“The Slytherin Prefect…” James mused, thinking of her cold blue eyes and thin lips with a shiver, joining Sirius in grimacing. “Ugh! I don’t understand why she was chosen… There are loads of half decent Slytherins in school and then they went and chose her! She gives Slytherin a bad name…”
“And she gives me the creeps,” Sirius added.
“That too,” he agreed. “Still I’m glad it’s Lily.”
“Of course you are,” Sirius said with a mocking smile. “Do you think she knows you’re the Head Boy?”
“I guess so… If it says that she’s Head Girl in my letter I’m sure it says that I’m Head Boy in hers.” James was absolutely correct but, at that very moment, Lily hadn’t yet opened her letter. It had come while she was out shopping with an old school friend of hers and she wouldn’t find out about it until she got home, dropped her bags on her bedroom floor and collapsed on her bed.
“Lily!” her father called. “There’s post for you!”
“Can you bring it up here?” she shouted back and moments later he appeared in her doorway, brandishing the letter. She wasn’t surprised to see the Hogwarts crest on the envelope – most of her owl post came in through her bedroom window so she knew it wasn’t one of her friends writing to her. John disappeared again and Lily rolled over onto her stomach, resting her chin against her pillows as she tore open the envelope; as she pulled out the sheets of parchment something clattered to the floor and Lily, too tired to bother contorting herself for a small trinket knocked from her bedside table, left it where it fell. The first sheet was the usual information about the start of term from Professor McGonagall; the second was a list of school supplies. Lily put these on her bedside table and was surprised to find a third letter enclosed which she read with interest.
Mae spilled tea all over the table when she heard Lily’s scream and John looked up in alarm. “Lily?” they shouted as they sprinted upstairs. “Are you alright?” Her bedroom door banged open to show their daughter still lying on her bed, perfectly well apart from the ear-splitting noise which had just emanated from her, deafening everyone in their street.
“I’m fine,” she said, “sorry I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just… surprised.”
“So were we,” her father said, “I nearly had a heart attack.”
“What were you surprised by?” Mae asked.
“I’ve… um… I’ve been made Head Girl of Hogwarts,” she said. There wasn’t much in their daughter’s world that they could understand but the words ‘Head Girl’ were recognisable anywhere and reassuringly ordinary to them; had anyone asked them two years ago whether the magical world had Prefects and Heads of School they would have been hard pressed to answer but the proof of their daughter’s ability at Hogwarts was nigh impossible to avoid.
“Congratulations darling,” they said simultaneously once they had recovered from their shock, “that’s wonderful!”
“I’m so proud of you petal,” John beamed, his happiness at Lily’s success greatly increased by the relief which came with the knowledge that she had screamed out of surprise. After a minute of standing awkwardly around in the doorway, unsure what to say to Lily, who had gone back to reading the letter, they left. As they returned to the kitchen, already making plans to buy a bottle of champagne for dinner that evening, they pretended not to hear Lily’s loud swears.
The cotton pillow cover was warm under Lily’s breath as she screamed into it. It muffled the sound slightly but she was sure that her parents must be wondering why there was a muted but high pitched whine coming from her room. Her eyes were screwed shut against it and she wished she could stay there forever and not have to go back to school and face being Head Girl. Her initial surprise had faded into worry – surely she wouldn’t be good enough – and this reluctance was only increased when she actually managed to continue reading the letter and she discovered that James Potter was the Head Boy. Of course she had managed to vaguely register surprise amid the horror which had spread throughout her body: James hadn’t been a Prefect and it was nigh unheard of for a Head of School to be chosen from amongst the general students at Hogwarts. In fairness to him, she thought as she lay with her mouth stuffed with pillow, he had been much better the past year and obviously Dumbledore trusted him but… Lily still found it hard to think that he could have changed that much – she had seen it but she didn’t particularly want to believe it because if she believed it then it meant that it was true and that James Potter was her Head Boy… which she would rather not believe because she wasn’t ready to deal with the new and nice Potter; she wasn’t sure she’d be able to withstand a whole year of working as closely with him as she would have to – even their occasional conversations had been enough to make her dangerously susceptible to him – for once he had been pleasant to her and she had been beginning to see why so many people loved him.
But this was impossible. There was no way she would be able to keep her head around him. If she hadn’t known him to be above such childish interfering she would almost have thought that Dumbledore wanted to push them together – the only other explanation was that he was vindictive enough to enjoy watching Lily squirm but, although there wasn’t much she did know about the mysterious head of Hogwarts, she knew he wasn’t cruel.
That night, Lily fell into a fitful sleep after lying awake worrying for what felt like hours. As she lay in bed her thoughts spiralled round and round, following a seemingly endless spiral as she thought about the various possibilities for the next year; it was ridiculous, she tried to tell herself, she still had nearly a month of holiday left and, what was more, last year James had proven himself to be caring and funny. Any other girl would jump at the chance to spend more time with the golden child of Hogwarts and that was one of the many things that terrified Lily – that, and the part of her which was larger than she wanted to admit which was reacting just like those girls. As she lay in bed she considered getting up to write a letter to Cassie, after all she had been through almost the same thing, but Lily rolled over and buried her head in her pillow; there wasn’t any point bothering her about something as trivial as this. Cassie had had to listen to her complain about James Potter enough times over the past few years, she wouldn’t be keen on Lily starting up again, even if it was for a different reason than normal. Besides, Lily knew that her friends thought she was going to end up in love with James and, if there was one thing which Lily was, it was stubborn; not only was she emphatically not in love with James Potter – and nor would she ever be – but she wasn’t about to encourage them; collectively they had the admirable trait of being able to turn one word of praise into twenty and some enjoyed civil conversations into a profession of love. Lily wasn’t sure how they did it but she was slightly amazed, and even a bit jealous, of the skill; it was testament to their love of their friends that all it took was one look at someone from anyone who could be interested in them and they thought that the watcher in question must want to go out with them, a touching, if slightly disturbing, ability.
Lily groaned as she realised that James would have told Sirius about being Head Boy; there was no doubt that this news would have made its way to Cassie who would have told all of their friends – now Lily couldn’t even tell her friends her news because it would encourage a barrage of letters that included hundreds of awful ideas and insinuations about James.
Wow a double upload, aren't you all lucky?! I'm actually very, very far aheard in this in terms of what I've written (we're talking about 60 pages while The Bounty Hunter is stuck - everything I've written I've uploaded for that) so I thought I'd treat everyone. Pleaaasee vote/comment/libraryfy/share/pester anyone and everyone that you know about it/spread on twitter/tumblr/facebook/whatever and wherever and just… I don't know, hold people down… Sellotape them to their computer until they're drawn into the story and agree to stay there of their own accord :D
Things are getting interesting :)
Anyway I've just found out that this is going to be LONG. My Word document is 270 pages and we're only in their Seventh Year… Like Dwelling on Dreams this goes to the end of their story… So wow. Lots to look forward to.